Retired chief Tim Buness (left) and his son, Fire Chief Jordan Buness, are the second and third generations in their family to serve as Wrangell's fire chief.
Fire Chief Jordan Buness grew up in a volunteer fire department family.
"It's something I knew that I always wanted to do," he said of serving as chief. "I wanted to earn my way into that," taking every training class he could over the past 20 years.
He got his chance when his father, Tim Buness, retired on June 5 after 35 years as chief. Jordan's grandfather, Gordon, was the first of the three Buness generations to lead the Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department.
"My dad ingrained that (community service) in me at a young age," Tim said. "The fire department is one big family, helping people."
It was always in his mind to serve as chief. "My father loved it."
Jordan, 36, started as a junior firefighter in 2004, becoming a full-time volunteer in 2008. He lived a few years at the fire station at 5.5-Mile Zimovia Highway, where the department keeps two fire engines and a rescue truck to provide faster response to calls out the road.
Tim, 68, also lived above fire trucks, though at a much younger age than Jordan. His family lived above the downtown fire hall in the mid-1960s.
"It was kind of cool. You were right in the heat of it," Tim said, referring to when the rooftop siren would go off and the volunteers would respond from all around town to pull the trucks out of the hall.
The department now has one full-time employee, who is the training officer, plus the half-time chief and 28 volunteers, Tim said. The count is down a little from years past, when the volunteers numbered in the mid-30s, he said. "That's a nationwide trend."
It's important to bring in new residents as volunteers, which the department has done over the past several years, Jordan said. "We do have a fair amount of new blood. ... It's a good way to immerse yourself in the community."
Jordan, hired for the position by Borough Manager Mason Villarma, took over as chief the day after his dad retired.
The chief serves as the incident commander at fires and other call-outs and manages the department's day-to-day operations, in coordination with the training officer, Tim said.
He most remembers his times on search and rescue missions when he was able to help save someone. "It's a good feeling." Jordan agrees: "I share that sentiment."
Though he has retired as chief, Tim is staying with the department as deputy, and he and Jordan will continue to run their business, Buness Electric.
"I just rolled past my 50 years" with the department, Tim said, noting it was time to step aside. A lot changed over that half-century, particularly better equipment such as ambulances, search and rescue boats and communications gear. "They're all good changes."
A fourth-generation chief is always possible. Jordan has three children, girls ages 13 and 10, and a 4-year-old boy. His oldest girl will be eligible to join the department as a junior firefighter at age 14 if she wants. The junior members can take training classes in CPR and first aid.
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